Past Due Garbage Bills Under Scrutiny
Past Due Garbage Bills Under Scrutiny
By David Howell
Editor
COFFEEVILLE – The staggering list of garbage customers who have delinquent garbage bills in Yalobusha County has again attracted the attention of county officials as discussion on updating the collection policy was held during the “first Monday” supervisor meeting on March 8. Among options discussed at the meeting held in the Coffeeville courthouse include charging a late fee for delinquent accounts and accepting credit card payments.
Collecting the $13 monthly garbage bill has long been a recurring topic for supervisors as the county is required to provide curbside garbage pickup, but unlike other utilities or services, the service cannot be terminated when the garbage bill isn’t paid. This means some customers have bills that accumulate to hundreds or sometimes thousands of dollars. Currently the main recourse used for collections is placing a hold on license tags for garbage accounts 90 days or more in arrears. In recent years the county has also utilized other collection methods ranging from civil lawsuits to publishing a list of delinquent accounts in the newspaper, but the amount of garbage bills owed the county continues to hover over the quarter-million dollar range.
“I know one thing, we don’t need to let this $280,000 remain,” Board President Cayce Washington said about the latest tally of money owed the county for garbage. Washington added that $10,000 in delinquent bills was collected last month as part of a record of $69,000 in total collections in February. Washington said he would like to see the total amount owed reduced to $100,000, but added it would be no small feat.
Board Attorney John Crow recommended updating the garbage policy with a notice that would be addressed to all property owners and/or persons generating garbage in unincorporated areas of the county. The notice will provide an explanation about why residents are required to have garbage bills and avenue the county can utilize to collect the monthly fee.
“It’s mandated by state law that Yalobusha County collects and disposes of garbage generated in all areas of Yalobusha County located outside the municipalities of Water Valley, Coffeeville and Oakland,” Crow explained, noting this explanation would be included as the introductory statement in the proposed notice that would be sent to customers.
“You can collect a late fee. I think we have problems with people riding us,” Crow also told supervisors, explaining he had researched the legalities of assessing a late fee. Crow added that in many cases, garbage customers wait until their car tag is due before paying an entire year’s garbage bill to have the car tag hold released.
“In other words, we pay Waste Management, and we get paid one year later when people buy their tag,” Crow continued, referring to the contract that requires the county to pay Waste Manage-ment monthly for each can picked up in the county.
“If you add $5 a month on there, that is going to keep them from riding the collection fee. But that is up to y’all,” Crow said about the actual amount of late charge that will be assessed.
“A five dollar late fee, that’s 40 percent,” District 5 Gaylon Gray commented.
“Five dollars is a good round number,” District 3 Supervisor Lee McMinn noted.
“That is still front pocket money. They can reach in that front pocket for that,” Gray added about the proposed $5 fee that would be assessed after the 10th day of the month if adopted by supervisors.
While Crow reported work remains before he can present the updated garbage collection policy to supervisors for adoption, other details in the policy will likely include:
• Customers will be reminded about collections options, including filing a civil law suit against a garbage user or landowner, placing a lien on the land owned by the delinquent account holder and the continued refusal to issue motor vehicle tags for the occupant or owner of the residence.
• Customers will be reminded that if they move from a residence, they must notify the garbage collection clerk immediately after vacating the dwelling.
“If you fail to do so, your obligation to continue paying the bill is not terminated,” Crow said.
• Allowing credit card payments for garbage bills, which Crow said is permissible as long as the customer bears the small additional cost from the credit card company for the transaction.
